The Opelousas courier., 1887-11-12
REVERSING POSITIONS.
The "Reform" War Upon a DemoJ
cratic Administration-Ge1. Glib
son MISTAKES the Position of Gov.
McEnery and His Friends.
Nam 0rlnnna Stn+an

New Orleans States. u
In Gen. Gibson's speech at Farnierville On
the 9Th instant, we find the following:
Il take exception to some remarks which
have fallen from the distinguished speakers
who accompany Gov. McEnery. He says he
is confronted by a faction calling thenselyes
r~eforrners WHO desire to elect somebody else
to be Governor besides himself. He, or the
speakers with him, say that because we
prefer somebody else for Governor we are
factlonists, and are making war on the
Democratic party
Our senior Senator has a decided genius
for mlsstating the real position of his oppo-
nents. Neither Gov. McEneryn nor any OF the
distinguished speakers who accompany, -
nor any or the papesSt that suppQ1 him, have
ever, at any time during tfa canvass,
claimed that because Gen. Gibson, or any
other individual, or individuals, IN the State
preferred somebody else for Governor, he or
Gov. EcEnery and Liz supporters have
made no such preposserous. not to say abb
snrd and lmpudent charge. On the con-
from the, very outset, held that the field
ought to be open for ali aspirants for the
aoyernorship, and that 10 Democrat should
be shut out from contesting for this high
from holding, any, such position as
that attributed to him and his friends
~ ~. Gen; Gibson, at the opening Of
was extremely doubtful whether or not Gov,
McEnery would permit his frie9us to present
his claims for reelection. At Me end of his
term he will have flied the gu~bernatorial
efai No io pe teGni s9@n r sS He't tie IT sa Il an 6 o5iI9s
scarcely sufficient to enable the incumbent
to maintain its dignity; be is himself a poor
man, and all selfish considerations prompted
him 10 retire from an onerous and unprotita-
bic public station. resume his practice and
reha bi!ttate his private fortunes.
But in fhe midst Of the ~profoundest quiet,
when all peaceful men We're attending to
their occupations, dreaming nougnt of poll
tics, and ali unconscious OF the dangers that
threaten their liberties and the corruption
that Is rottlng Sheir government, the fierce
and ever militant rctormers. with souls for
ever thirstiIg for tic conflict, hands eter-
nally clutchiIg the t0eman's brand and eyes
even madly glariqg upon the ..ins' as
toni demons to, be exercised from the
body, polite, by apostolic blows and
knocks, sounded the note of alarm. THAI
note WAS not like a ire bell in the middle
OF The night, 'as it WIS no doubt intended to
IS, but 1t was an ear-c.aeking foot of the re-
reform whistle in the State. And 10! the
Holy War for the defeat and exterrination
OF g Democratic Governor, and the disgrace
OF G Democratic administration was begun,
and the Democratic Governor was compelled
to arm for the fray.
To abandon metaphor, 1png before it was
known whether McI3nery would be a candi-
date or not, the reformers, selecting Gen.
1NlCItoi4 tItCl lGtoCt. IoU because OF Ills
superior qualifications for Governor, but as
the most available man for their purpose,
opened o Malignant war on Gov. McEnery
and his administration. They did not have
two proportions to present to the Democ-
racy; one that Nichols was a good Democrat
and competent mas for Governor, and the
other that Gov. McEnery should give place
to him OF to some other equally good Demo
erat. They had but one proposition, and
that was, that Sam MeEnery must and should
be driven in disgrace out of the guberna-
torlal chair, at any and all hazards, ard that
the leaeer sJ1rest to accomplish that end was
From that moment they have pursued no
other line of fight. They have browbeaten
and denounced every other Democrat in the
State who dared to aspire to the nomination
for Governor, while the rank and file were
frankly told that there were but two men
who should be considered. namely: Sam Nc
Emery the rinsster, y and the manned hero
and reformer, T. T. Nichols. ''lhis candi-
dature of Moncure, : said a reform editor in
Col. ioung's Office in Shreveport, must be
crushed out in the interest of Nichols, " and
this WAS Did has been the keynote OF the
Nichotlsites from the opening of the canvass.
Moncure's candidacv, Jeffries' candidacy,
C~unningham's candidacy, hnoblocks cam
didacy, must each aud all be crushed out in
the interest of Nichols.
McEnery alone was challenged to the ring,
! and Nichols was stripped to knock him out.